Proposed $40,000 raise for mayor draws criticism

VERNON, N.J. (AP) — Critics are blasting a proposal that would give a $40,000 pay raise to the mayor of a northwestern New Jersey town, an amount that would more than double his current salary.

The Vernon Township Council is expected to vote Monday night on the raise for Mayor Vic Marotta, who took office in July 2011 as Vernon’s first directly elected mayor. He currently earns $30,000 a year, but says the raise is well-deserved for all the work he does as chief executive of Sussex County’s largest municipality.

The proposal comes 14 months after township voters soundly rejected a council-approved ordinance that would have given Marotta a $20,000 raise. The measure also would have boosted council stipends from $3,000 to $5,000 and provided possible raises for about 36 municipal employees.

This is a terrible thing…. “They” told people that showed up for the council meeting to voice objection to this raise that the town “NEEDED” to pay a mayor to insure they got qualified people for the job… I believe it’s the opposite… If you really want people that truly care about the town to be in office, you’ll keep it’s integrity by the salary being a small compensation… this way you won’t attract greedy losers that are just looking for a quick payday… Vernon residents, wake up.